Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

Chapter 236: The Pope Made You Do It

……

"investigation?"

Wuhun Temple.

After the tournament organizing committee decided to investigate Xuanming, Salas, as the representative of the Spirit Hall, rushed back without delay.

Others might not know the relationship between Xuanming and the Pope, but he knew it all too well!

That's the kind of person who can sneak into the Pope's bedroom late at night and leave through the main gate the next day as if nothing happened!
He already had a bad impression on the Pope because of what happened in Sunset Forest. If he were to investigate Xuanming now, the Pope would surely kill him!
"Your Holiness, the organizing committee is now strongly demanding an investigation into Xuanming to bring justice to Canghui Academy. I... don't know what to do," Salas said nervously.

Bibi Dong put down the information about the competition organizing committee's investigation order, saying, "Investigate however you need to."

"Huh?" Salas was taken aback.

"Your Holiness, this..."

“Investigate however you need to, understand?” Bibi Dong asked.

Salas was slightly taken aback. "Understood!"

“This Soul Master Competition is getting more and more chaotic. With so many people watching, they can’t even tell if there’s anything wrong with the participants.” Bibi Dong paused and looked at Yue Guan beside her.

"Yue Guan, go and join in the fun, so that you don't cause trouble every few days."

Yue Guan bowed slightly. "Understood."

After leaving the council hall, Salas began to summon the Templar Warriors and Cardinals of the Spirit Temple. Since it was an investigation, it had to be done formally.

However, just as Salas was about to set off, Thousand-Pound Douluo suddenly appeared in front of him.

“Elder Qianjun.” Salas quickly bowed in greeting.

Qianjun Douluo, a peak level 96 Douluo, along with Jiangmo Douluo, was the teacher of the previous Pope Qian Xunji. However, not long after Qian Xunji became Pope, the two elders, Qianjun and Jiangmo, also broke through to level 96 and entered the Hall of Worship. They have not appeared for decades.

"The Second Elder is looking for you," Qianjun Douluo said calmly.

Salas was taken aback, but dared not ask any more questions. He told his men to wait where they were, while he followed Thousand-Pound Douluo toward the palace where the Second Elder, Golden Crocodile Douluo, was located.

Salas was filled with unease as he followed Thousand-Pound Douluo through the intricate corridors of the Spirit Temple.

The Second Elder, Golden Crocodile Douluo, was a terrifying figure in the Spirit Hall, second only to the Grand Elder, Qian Daoliu. His strength was unfathomable, and his personality was even more unpredictable. Half a year ago, the Sunset Forest incident was orchestrated by Golden Crocodile Douluo. However, after that day, these elders left Heaven Dou City and returned to Spirit City, while the Pope remained in Heaven Dou City, leaving him with all the awkwardness!
Soon, the two arrived at a palace deep within the Martial Soul Temple.

Sitting by the stone table in the center of the courtyard was an old man in a golden robe, who was none other than the Second Elder, Golden Crocodile Douluo.

“Elder Golden Crocodile.” Salas quickly bowed in greeting.

"I heard there were some problems with the competition? It was that brat Xuanming." Golden Crocodile Douluo said calmly.

Salas paused slightly, "There is a problem, but..."

"What did the Pope say?" Golden Crocodile Douluo asked.

Salas dared not conceal anything and respectfully replied, "His Holiness the Pope said that we should investigate however we should."

Golden Crocodile Douluo snorted coldly, "Protecting someone is protecting someone, why say it so euphemistically?"

Salas lowered his head even further, barely daring to breathe.

"Since she wants to protect him, then let her protect him," said Golden Crocodile Douluo calmly.

"However, you need to let everyone know that it is the Pope who wants to protect Xuanming, understand?"

Salas was slightly taken aback. "Elder Golden Crocodile, this papal protection is just..."

"The Pope's abuse of power is his business," said Golden Crocodile Douluo calmly.

Salas was deeply shocked by Golden Crocodile Douluo's words, completely unable to fathom what the Second Elder intended to do.

The Pope's protection of Xuanming is a sensitive matter to begin with. Elder Jin'e not only spoke frankly, but also wanted him to publicize the matter. Wasn't this putting the Pope in the eye of the storm?
Could the news from Wuhun City be true? Is the Elders' Hall really planning to depose the Pope?
"Elder Jin'e, this...won't this cause turmoil within the Spirit Hall and damage His Holiness the Pope's prestige?" Salas cautiously probed, his voice trembling slightly.

"It was the Pope who ordered you to do it," Golden Crocodile Douluo said in a slightly somber tone.

"do you understand?"

"Understood!" Salas quickly replied.

"Your subordinate will obey Elder Golden Crocodile's...the Pope's orders! I will do my utmost!"

……

Upon leaving the Spirit Temple, Salas's complexion was so terrible that words could not describe it.

The Golden Crocodile Douluo and Bibi Dong were vying for power, but it was he who suffered the consequences!
What the hell is this!
He couldn't afford to offend the Pope, much less the Golden Crocodile Douluo!

Near the Tian Dou Royal Hotel, the Spirit Hall team led by Salas and the royal team led by Ning Fengzhi met up.

During the competition, the Royal Fighting Team stayed here. Among the teams that came from all over the Empire, some teams that had achieved good results in previous competitions were also arranged to stay here and enjoy the best treatment, including the Five Elements Academy.

"What's wrong with Bishop Salas? Are you feeling unwell?" Ning Fengzhi asked with concern. Salas replied coldly, "I am fine, no need for Sect Master Ning to worry."

Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, unconcerned by Salas's cold attitude. He glanced at the Spirit Hall members behind Salas and said softly, "I wonder how the Spirit Hall plans to investigate?"

Salas cursed inwardly, thinking that Ning Fengzhi was deliberately bringing up the most sensitive topic, but he dared not show it on his face. He simply said coldly, "Sect Leader Ning, rest assured, the Spirit Hall will handle this matter impartially."

"Handle it impartially?" Ning Fengzhi nodded. "That's good. Although Xuanming's actions are somewhat unexpected, he's not a bad person at heart and probably won't do anything to harm the competition. However, it's indeed strange that the students from Canghui Academy have become idiots. I hope Bishop Salas can investigate thoroughly."

Salas snorted, "Of course, no need for Sect Master Ning to worry."

At this moment, Xue Qinghe also came out of the hotel. Seeing the scene of the two groups facing each other, he secretly found it amusing, but on the surface he pretended to be serious and stepped forward and said, "Bishop Salas, Sect Master Ning, since everyone is here, let's go in together. Xuanming and the others are still waiting."

Salas and Ning Fengzhi exchanged a glance, nodded, and followed Xue Qinghe into the hotel.

Inside the hotel lobby, Xuanming and the others waited quietly, while some academy members who had finished their competitions watched the commotion from various parts of the hotel.

In this year's Soul Master Competition, the most attention-grabbing figure is undoubtedly Xuanming, the star of the Great Soul Arena.

However, many people suspect that Xuanming's performance in the Great Soul Arena is just hype. After all, for the Great Soul Arena, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and the Heaven Dou Royal Family to join forces to elevate him to that position, strength is no longer the most important factor.

Those who watched Xuanming's last "exhibition match" at the Heavenly Battle Arena, in particular, scoffed at some of Xuanming's titles.

Their current status is solely due to the deliberate hype and manipulation by the Grand Soul Arena. In the upcoming Soul Master Tournament, as long as they defeat Xuanming, this glory will naturally be transferred to them.

On the second floor of the hotel, the group from the Five Elements Academy leaned against the railing, watching with great interest the "grand show" about to unfold below.

If we had to pinpoint the opponent they were most looking forward to and most worried about in this competition, it would undoubtedly be the Royal Fighting team, who should have been guaranteed a spot but chose to participate in the qualifiers instead.

Although everyone had some doubts about the news about the Great Soul Arena, Xuanming's strength was definitely extremely strong, even if it wasn't as exaggerated as rumored, given that he had reached that level. Not to mention the terrifying lineup of the Royal Fighting Team that they had seen today.

One Soul King, three Soul Masters, one Soul Venerable, and Xuan Ming, along with the girl standing beside him who remained silent and never revealed her Martial Soul or Soul Rings.

Even excluding Xuanming, the Royal Fighting Team is still extremely strong!

Driven by personal motives, they naturally hoped that the tournament organizing committee would kick the Royal Fighting Team out. However, there were also many people who looked forward to playing against this team and winning the match.

"Xuanming, the organizing committee of this competition has decided to investigate you, mainly regarding the mental breakdown of a student from Canghui Academy," Xue Qinghe said, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces. "Do you have anything to say?"

“It’s none of my business, they drove themselves to their own demise,” Xuanming said.

Although the Evil God's Guardian was triggered passively, it only protected him and did not retaliate. The group from Canghui Academy became idiots because the mental impact of that move was too strong. After being blocked by the Evil God's Guardian, it was like a person with weak mental strength using a mental control skill on a person with strong mental strength and suffering a backlash.

At that time, those people used a special soul skill to convert all their soul power into mental power. In addition, the so-called Seven Asura Illusion was only offensive and not defensive. After the mental impact was blocked by the evil god's protection, it exploded directly.

Those guys from Canghui Academy are simply reaping what they sowed; they were driven mad by their own techniques.

“Even if the Canghui Academy’s team members became like that because of their own moves, how do you explain the aura emanating from you?” Salas asked.

“Soul Rings,” Xuanming said.

"I just absorbed a special spirit ring. The aura you saw was from that spirit ring."

“Spirit Rings?” Salas frowned slightly.

"What kind of spirit ring would carry that kind of aura? Don't try to fool us with some random excuse."

“Dark Demon Evil God Tiger,” Xuanming said calmly.

“Dark Demon Evil God Tiger?” Salas frowned.

"What it is?"

“Go check it yourself. Doesn’t the Spirit Hall claim to have all the information in the entire Spirit Master world?” Xuanming said.

The Dark Demon God Tiger is indeed just a legendary soul beast to humans; very few people have even heard of it.

After all, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger is extremely difficult to develop in the world of soul beasts. Once it appears, it will be besieged by the entire soul beast clan, and they will never let it live.

For a Dark Demon Evil God Tiger to grow to a hundred years old, it needs to devour at least a hundred ten-year-old soul beasts. To grow to a thousand years old, it needs to devour nearly a hundred hundred hundred-year-old soul beasts. As for a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast, it needs to devour another hundred thousand-year-old soul beasts.

The 60,000-year-old Dark Demon Evil God Tiger that he absorbed had already devoured at least dozens of 10,000-year-old soul beasts.

"Since you put it that way, I will go back and investigate," Salas said calmly.

"However, until the results are in, you cannot continue to compete on stage for the safety of the other participating teams."

Regardless of whether the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger exists or not, since Xuanming has given this excuse, he can just use it as is. As for whether others believe it or not, that's their business.

If it's true, then he's acting impartially; if it's false, then that's something the Pope should worry about.

If the Pope ordered him to compile a document, he would be doing it under orders and would not offend either side.

"Farewell."

After receiving Xuanming's answer, Salas didn't ask any more questions and left with the Spirit Hall people.

Upon seeing this, the teachers and students from various colleges who were watching the play upstairs were all dumbfounded.

Ask a couple of questions and leave? Is this what you call an investigation?
Could you be any more perfunctory?
(End of this chapter)